Prime Minister Tony Abbott insists he will not be deterred by disastrous polling results following his government's first budget, saying the public had been "on notice" that the Coalition would have to make tough decisions.

Mr Abbott also said his government had not broken a pre-election promise not to make any cuts to health or education.

"These funds go directly into frontline services, directly into the provision of hospital beds; across the country it's the equivalent of 1200 hospital beds, 300 beds here in NSW," he told ABC radio.

"We are determined to provide the critical health services we need here in NSW. But what we have seen handed to us from Canberra is a long-term trajectory that really puts that at threat - and that's not acceptable for anyone in NSW.

"It's not acceptable for Canberra to just allocate and cross-shift that towards the states without any form of engagement or consultation."

Victorian Liberal Premier Denis Napthine said the cuts would have an immediate impact. "We need to sit down and sort that out," he said.

South Australian Labor Premier Jay Weatherill said states and territories would cause the "maximum amount of political pain possible" if the government proceeds with the cuts.

19 May
The harshest and most unpopular federal budget in nearly two decades has slashed support for Tony Abbott's Coalition government before it has even reached its first anniversary, plunging it into a potential poll trough from which it might never recover.

19 May
It’s ironic that John Howard was lampooned as the ‘‘white picket fence family’’ man. At least he got it – families (in all their variety) always carry the load and need support. Howard, after some convincing, finally put balancing work and family at the centre of his policy.

19 May
We live in the age of cynicism. It is a bipartisan gift from our major political parties. Moral outrage is used to hide moral cowardice, with the assumption that voters are too ignorant or self-interested to notice.

19 May
Real-time Twitter analysis is being used to map the world's emotions, according to Sydney researchers who have already seen noticeable changes in the national mood since the federal budget was announced.